Thers no place like a new home
by Kirsty1
Summary: ER/BTVS Cross over Dr Weaver comes to Sunnydale and stumbles into the Gang (changed ch1 from comments THANKS EVERYONE!! will do ch2 soon)
1. Meeting and greeting

Title: No place like a new home

Author: Kirsty Dalziel

Rating:G

Distribution: Ask please

Feedback: Please, lots of it: kirstydalziel@hotmail.com

Summary: Buffy/ER Crossover What if Dr Weaver Moved to Sunnydale and became Friends with the gang?

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Buffy or ER just my wild imagination and I'm not in control of it either, oh and the Docs at the new ER are mine, all mine Ha Ha Ha! 

Notes:thanks to all the people of Fanficiton.net for there helpful comments 

  


  


Chapter 1: Meeting and Greeting

  


Dr Weaver walked into the ER of Sunnydale Memorial Hospital and looked around her, taking in the sights of the people. It was quieter than County back home in Chicago she thought to herself, then quickly hushed the small voice. She tried to push thoughts of home to the back of her mind having decided that since news was out about her personal life and the loss of Sandy she needed a new start. It wasn't that her old friends weren't understanding, and they never said anything to her about it, at least not to her face, but she had spent so long with a certain person and now they where gone and she felt that her collages were uncomfortable with the new person she had become. This time though, she was going to start afresh, she would be the same tough hardworking Dr Weaver but this time her sexuality would be a part of who she was, part of the new chief of Sunnydale Memorial ER, California.

  


Dr Weaver walked towards the reception area and saw two doctors and a nurse standing chatting. She fixed her casual clothes and her crutch then walked towards them, the authority of her position evident in every step. She coughed as she approached them. "Excuse me, I'm Dr Weaver - you were expecting me I hope?"

  


***

The first week past as Dr Weaver expected it to, with quiet spells and more busy ones, but what did seem strange was the number of the patients that came with unusual marks and could not explain what happened to them. In fact, a lot of the 'fang' marks on people's necks and the blood loss was all put down to a gang and something about their calling card but Dr Weaver found it all very strange and it went a small way of explaining why the job she had just taken had a high turnover rate for such a good position, and why the pay was so high. Something else was wrong as well; a niggling feeling that pressed at the back of her mind whenever she saw the wounds. Something like a memory half hidden in the back of her psyche, but she tried not to think to much about it, her job was to treat the patients that came in not protect them from the things that might hurt them out there, she had no control over that. She just did her job and she did it well, she was earning the respect of her co-workers and fitting in fine despite with her obvious disability.

  


Of course the rumors of what was wrong with her leg circulated and speculation was high but as usual no one bothered to ask her so she never volunteered the information. It was on her seventh day in Sunnydale that she met a group of people she was to become quite familiar with. 

  


It was Saturday night and the ER was unusually quiet, then a group of young people came rushing in. There was a blonde girl carrying a red headed girl, as soon as Dr Weaver saw this she shouted for a gurney and rushed behind it as the blonde girl placed her unconscious friend down on it. These first two were followed by a young man and woman who where obviously a couple and another young woman and a teenage girl. They all huddled around the gurney where the redhead lay. Dr Weaver took charge as she always did when people's lives depended on it.

  


"What's her name?" Dr Weaver demanded. 

  


The blonde caught Dr Weaver's eye. "Willow," She looked down at the injured girl and spoke again. "Help her." 

  


Dr Weaver was momentarily startled by the authority and strength in the young woman's voice but shook it off as the gurney was pushed into a vacant cubicle.

  


After fifteen minutes or so the girl had regained consciousness and as Dr Weaver evaluated her,the red head spoke in a quiet voice. "Where am I? What's happened?"

  


"Hello Willow, I'm Dr Weaver and you're at Sunnydale Memorial. I was hoping you could tell me what happened."

  


Willow took a second to familiarize herself with her surroundings then her face clouded with concern. "My friends! Where are they? Are they ok?"

  


Dr Weaver looked out towards the waiting area and smiled "You mean the gang of fans you have waiting ?"

  


"Yeah, are they all there?" 

  


Dr Weaver looked back at the girl. "I don't know, how many should there be?" 

  


The red headed Witch looked at Dr Weaver properly for the first time. You're new."

  


It was a statement, not a question. 

  


"Yes, I started here last week." 

  


Willow looked the Doctor up and down. "My friends?"

  


Dr Weaver looked at the attractive young woman on the bed and decided that she liked her. "Yes, your friends, how many should there be?"

  


"Five. Four girls and a guy."

  


"Well they're all there." 

  


The red head sighed. "Great." Then she looked down at herself. "So, what's the damage?"

  


It amazed Dr Weaver that the girl would worried about her friends more than herself, it was a rare quality in a person. "Well you have minor abrasions, you'll need a few stitches on that cut above your eye and you have a slight concussion. I would like to keep you in overnight for observation okay? So how did this happen?"

  


The Hacker seemed to falter at that point, then when she spoke it was quick and faulting and Dr Weaver did not believe one word. "Well you see I'm a a. member of a group that re-enacts historical battles. And during practice I got a bit hurt. Yeah but you can't come to see it sorry it's private and we don't show in Sunnydale we just train here but we show at a place that's not here." 

  


Dr Weaver nodded politely. "Should I go tell your fellow members that you're ok?"

  


"Yes please Tara must be worried." Dr Weaver looked again towards the door.

  


"Your sister?"

  


"No, my girlfriends, and she worries about me, so do the others. Could you let her in to see me?"

  


"Sure. Tara is the blond girl who managed to carry you in?" 

  


Willow looked puzzled then something dawned on her. "No that's Buffy she's my best friend, she works out a lot. Don't worry you'll work out all our names soon enough we visit the hospital a lot. You know because of all the re-enacting and stuff you had better tell them I'm ok.

  


"I'll take care of them."

  


Dr Weaver walked out of the room and towards the waiting area, as soon as she was in sight, The Hurt Girl's group of friends advanced on her. They where lead by the blond and Dr Weaver got the distinct impression that she was the leader of the group so she addressed her. "Buffy"

  


"Summers, Buffy Summers. How is she?" 

  


Dr Weaver could see that Buffy had a few cuts on her arm and forehead as well. "Well Buffy, Willow will be just fine. I'm keeping her in over night for observation because of her concussion and to give her a few stitches but she'll be fine."

  


Before the slayer could say anything more, the shyest girl Dr Weaver had ever seen spoke up. "Can I see her?" 

  


"And you are?"

  


"My name is Tara Maclay I'm Willow's-" 

Dr Weaver stopped her before she could finish. "Yes Tara of course you can, Willow asked for you. She's in cubicle five. Do you want me to show you?" 

Tara shook her head. "I know thanks." She walked from the group, 

  


The small blond patted her on the shoulder as she passed. "I'll wait for you?" 

  


Tara looked back. "Thanks Buffy." 

  


The Slayer looked around at the rest of the group. "She's going to be fine. Xander, will you and Anya take Dawn home? I'll wait for Tara and meet you there."

  


Xander put his arms around the woman Dr Weaver assumed to be Anya, his girlfriend and then around the teenage girl that was presumably Dawn.

  


"Sure thing Buff, but are you sure you don't want us to wait?"

  


"No it's ok just get my sister home safe, and Dawn? Behave!"

  


The three walked out and Buffy turned, realizing that Dr Weaver had not moved. "Was there something else?"

  


Dr Weaver looked again at the girl's wounds. "Do you want me to have a look at these cuts for you? Some look as if they may need stitches." 

  


The blond woman touched one of the cuts that was still bleeding lightly. "Na, I'm fine I heal quickly.

  


But Dr Weaver was not going to give in that easily. "I really would like to look at them and I told your friend Willow I would look after you."

  


Her last words seemed to have an effect. "Oh, ok then, but just a quick look, then can I peek in to see Will?"

  


Will? Oh Willow, fine if she's not too tired." 

  


In the examination room, Dr Weaver cleaned The small blonde's wounds and to her surprise they were not as bad as she first thought. Dr Weaver also noticed a deep worry in the young woman's eyes. "So Buffy was it a fierce battle then?" 

  


"Battle Battle, what battle? Was Willow talking in her sleep, because she was hit kind of bad you should probably not listen to her ranting

  


"Buffy, stop." Dr Weaver cut her off.

"Willow was telling me that you and your friends visit the ER a lot because you re-enact historical battles as a hobby."

  


The Slayer thought for a moment. "Oh yeah, well that's true we love history! History is a-ok! Can't get enough of the past!" 

  


They both fell into an awkward silence. Dr Weaver wanted to ask more questions but knew that if you pushed people they generally clammed up altogether. Buffy still had a sadness about her though and Dr Weaver found herself drawn to these people and uncharacteristically she felt her maternal instincts kick in. She wanted to protect these kids they seemed so genuinely unselfish and the only word she could think of was good, so she took special care in bandaging the girl's head and arms.

"All done." 

  


"It's been a while since an actual doctor fixed me up, usually they just leave me to the nurse." 

  


Dr Weaver nodded understanding. "Well I did tell your friends that I would look after you." The words seemed to cause the young woman pain but the feelings were quickly shielded from view. Dr Weaver being a master of suppressing feelings saw it , and what she saw was guilt deeply imbedded in sadness and worry. Again Dr Weaver let it go and the rapidly healing young woman jumped off the bed and they walked down the corridor towards Her fallen friend. 

  


They stopped short of the door and looked into the cubicle. Tara lay on the bed next to her girlfriend and started gently stroking her hair. They were talking quietly to each other. Dr Weaver looked at the young blond and saw tears rim her eyes and this time Dr Weaver spoke. "Buffy is there something wrong?" 

  


The slayer quickly wiped the tears from her eyes. "No I'm fine, as long as she's fine." 

  


Dr Weaver looked again at the couple. "She is. 

  


the Skeptical Girl seemed unconvinced. "What about the next time she gets hurt? What if she dies? I could never forgive myself and my friends would never forgive me either!"

  


"Buffy she's a grown woman it's not your job to protect her." 

  


Buffy quickly looked away and whispered. "But it is." 

  


Dr Weaver heard her but looked back into the room, confusion issuing more questions than there were answers to.

"Maybe we should give them a few more minutes, do you want to call her parents?" 

  


Buffy shook her head, "They don't much bother with her, we're her family."

"What about your parents, won't they be worried?" 

  


The slayer looked away again. "My mother is dead and my father is nowhere in sight. It's just me and Dawn, and the gang." 

  


Dr Weaver mentally kicked herself for assuming. "I'm sorry."

  


"It's not your fault you weren't here, right? You seem new to Sunnydale." 

  


Dr Weaver laughed quietly. "Do I have a sign on my back? Willow said the same thing!" 

  


The long time Sunnydale resident did not join her laughter but looked into Dr Weaver's eyes as if she was trying to capture something in her that would disappear, much like a parent looking at their teenage children and trying to savor the innocence of youth before it's stripped from them by the hands of adulthood. It made Dr Weaver feel very uncomfortable.

  


"I'm sorry Dr Weaver its just Sunnydale does something to people. It makes them older." 

  


Dr Weaver looked at the young woman and estimated her age to be about twenty, but her eyes showed a much greater age and Dr Weaver believed her, she looked again at her patient and her partner.

  


"Maybe we should see you friend. I need to do her stitches and she needs rest." 

  


Buffy nodded and looked into the room. "Yeah and I need to get back to my sister."

  


"Will you make sure Tara's ok before you leave her?" 

  


The slayer smiled again. "Don't worry Dr Weaver, Tara lives with us, her and Willow."

  


"Oh, that must be nice for you?"

  


"Yeah it is. They're both wonderful with Dawn, you would think they were her sisters and not me."

  


Dr Weaver smiled. "Maybe we should break this up? She needs those stitches and a good nights rest."

  


Buffy nodded sadly and walked into the room. "Hey Wills, how are you?"

  


Tara looked up and reluctantly got of the bed, still stroking Willows hair. the red head took the hand in hers and looked up at Tara, smiling. With the smile still on her face she looked at her best Friend. "Much better thanks." She noticed Buffy's bandages and concern flashed across her face. "Buff are you all right?" 

  


The Slayer lightly touched the bandage on her head. "I'm fine. Dr Weaver insisted on looking at them but you know me, I'll be better in no time. It's you I'm worried about. At the sound of her name Dr Weaver, walked into the room.

  


"she will be fine after some rest. I'll sign her out tomorrow morning." 

  


Buffy looked from Dr Weaver to her two friends. "I think that's our cue to leave Tara. We'll come back first thing in the morning to collect you." 

  


Tara nodded and kissed Willow softly on the lips then walked towards the door. The blond Slayer stepped forward to gave Willow a brief hug and spoke softly to her friend. "I'm glad you're all right." 

  


The Slayers long time Friend smiled. "I'm fine." 

  


The blond Slayer returned the smile. You were great tonight. The best re-enacting I have ever seen!" 

  


The wiccan blushed. "I was good!" 

  


They both giggled simultaneously. "Goodnight friend." 

  


"Goodnight Buff, she looked at Tara, "Goodnight Honey." 

  


Tara blew her girlfriend a kiss, Sweet Dreams!" 

  


Then Tara was gone and Buffy followed but stopped before Dr Weaver.

  


"Thank you Dr Weaver, keep looking after her." 

  


Dr Weaver was touched by the girl's acknowledgment of her and the confidence she had in her abilities. From the young woman it seemed like a big compliment. 

  


The Slayer caught up with Tara in the hall. The older girl was shaking as Buffy rushed to her. "Tara, are you OK?" 

  


Tara nodded and tried to compose herself. "Iwas so scscared Buffy! What if we, llost her?"

  


Buffy hugged the blond witch, the guilt she felt almost daily for putting her friends old and new in danger came rising from the pit of her stomach and burned her heart but she pushed past the pain. Tara needed her. But we didn't and she'll be fine." 

  


Tara stepped back. "How can you be so sure? They wwouldn't have kept her in if they weren't wworried."

  


The blond woman looked back toward her injured Friend's room. Dr Weaver had not left yet. The Slayer somehow felt a connection to the Doctor, a closeness she had not felt since her mother passed away.

"Dr Weaver will look after her, I have a good feeling about her, maybe it's a slayer thing? It's almost as strong as the feeling I got when I met Willow for the first time like we where meant to be friends." 

  


Tara looked from Willows room to Buffy and she visibly calmed.

"Thanks Buffy I feel much better. We should get home, Dawn will be worried, and the quicker I get to sleep the quicker morning will come." 

  


The blond Slayer nodded and they walked out of the hospital. She would have spoken but she was overwhelmed with emotion, she often forgot how much faith and trust her friends put in her, how even Tara who had only been part of the group for just over a year believed in her and Buffy was pretty sure she would give up her life for anyone of the gang. It amazed her that she was the leader of this group of wonderful, brave, smart and selfless people but she put the feeling aside knowing that their loyalty came at a price, sometimes one that was almost to much for them to bear. A life, sometimes the life of one of there own, Jenny Calendar for example. And sometimes that of an innocent who had to be sacrificed because The Slayer had to chose the life of friends over that of a stranger and Buffy was no longer sure which held the more guilt for her. 

  


The only thing she knew was how hard it was to attend the funeral of someone you love or watch the pain in the faces of the people who loved them. On second thoughts The blond Slayer knew it was easier to bear the guilt of the faceless few than it was to watch the man you think of as a Father crumble into sobs and know it was your fault, always your fault. 

  


***

  


Dr Weaver watched as Buffy and Tara left, then walked over to her patients bed. "Hey, how are you?" 

  


The red head stretched on the bed and winced in pain. A bit sore." She gently touched the cut on her head and when she removed her hand she noticed some blood on her fingertips. 

  


"And bleeding," Dr Weaver picked up a swab from the tray and placed it on the cut. "I can sort both those things out in two minutes," she dabbed the wound then looked at it again; she was again surprised at how quickly the cut seemed to have healed. "This is better than I thought, maybe you and Buffy should tell us where you get this healing ability, it would be useful in my line of work!" Dr Weaver looked from the wound to catch Willow's eye, The Wicca returned the look then smiled. Her next word made Dr Weaver laugh. 

  


"Magic." 

  


Dr Weaver continued to chuckle (another unusual trait) but when she spoke she did so in her usual professional manner. "Well Willow, taking another look at that cut I'm thinking maybe I'll just use this special glue. Its less messy and will leave less of a scar, will that be ok?" 

  


Willow took the change of tone in her stride. "What ever you think is best Dr Weaver, I heard what Buffy said to you, she trusts you, not many people get that from Buffy, especially after knowing her only half an hour." 

  


Dr Weaver smiled at the compliment and felt she wanted to know everything about all of them. "How long did it take you to earn her trust?" 

  


The young woman's eyes shone with pride. "I'm one of the lucky ones. Buffy trusted me as soon as we met, something we have in common." 

  


Dr Weaver nodded and walked out of the room to the store room she cam back with a tray containing all the equipment she would need and a syringe and a small vile of liquid. She took the vile of a painkiller and measured the amount she wanted into the new syringe and walked towards Willow. "I'm going to give you a painkiller, it shouldn't make you drowsy but it will take away the pain, then I'll fix your cut and with a little bit of sleep you should be ready to go home tomorrow, how does that sound?" 

  


Willow held up her arm. You're the doctor, Doc, do what you have too!" 

  


Dr Weaver gave the injection and after she was done she patted The young woman on the arm. All done. I'll come back and check on you later." 

  


the Hacker shook her head. "You don't have to, I understand if you're busy or whatever." 

  


Dr Weaver started to walk out of the room then stopped at the door and turned. "I will check on you later, it's no trouble." Mentally she added 'and I want Buffy's trust in me to be deserved.' Dr Weaver was not sure why she wanted The slayer's trust but there was something about the girls aura that was familiar to her, she was sure she had never meet the girl before but something in Buffy's presence and being reminded her of someone she had met a long time ago.

  


Dr Weaver attended to a few more patients that night, but nothing major happened and after a few hours she checked up on her number one patient , who to her surprise was still awake as she walked softly into the room. "Can't you sleep?" 

  


Willow was startled out of her thoughts. "Huh?"

  


Dr Weaver smiled and walked further into the room. "I said are you having trouble sleeping?"

  


The hurt girl awkwardly pulled herself up in the bed. "Yes, I don't sleep in hospitals very well." 

  


Dr Weaver nodded. A lot of people have that trouble, would you like some tea?" 

  


The red head nodded. "Yes please, if it's not too much trouble, are you very busy?" 

  


Dr Weaver shook her head as she made her way to the door. "Not at all, this is the quietest it's been all week. I even managed to catch up on all of my paperwork! How do you take your tea?

  


"Milk and two sugars thanks. If you have time you could join me?" 

  


Dr Weaver smiled. "Sure I would love to, Ill be back in a few minutes." 

  


Willow sat fully up in her bed and fixed her blankets and true to her word Dr Weaver walked back into the room followed by a porter who carried two cups of tea. He put them on the table beside the bed then promptly left. Dr Weaver smiled apologetically. Carrying more than one tea can be messy!"

  


  


"I noticed that. In Sunnydale a week and already you're on crutches." 

  


Dr Weaver looked down at her crutch then took one of the cups of tea. She lowered herself onto the chair meant for visitors. "I had the crutch a long time before I even heard of Sunnydale." 

  


The embarrass girl was sorry she was so presumptuous and apologized quickly. "I'm so sorry, I never meant to ask a personal question."

  


Dr Weaver smiled and with a wave of her hand dismissed the young girl's apology. "Don't worry about it Willow, in fact, it's a welcome change. I've had this crutch since I was seventeen and only a handful of people have ever asked me what's wrong with me, most just gossip about it, you should hear some of the things people come up with! Anything from a birth defect to cancer." 

  


They sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes, then Willow's curiosity got the better of her, she would never have asked but she felt comfortable around Dr Weaver so she bit the bullet and asked, "So Dr Weaver, what's wrong with you?" 

  


Dr Weaver laughed out loud at that, then smiled warmly at the apprehensive patient. "Well when I was seventeen, which was not that long ago! Ok it was about 25 years ago give or take a bit. Anyway I was mugged, my memories are all a bit mixed up as to what happened but I remember walking home from the school library, it was dark and I was carrying some books. Then I got hit on the head from behind and fell to the ground. I felt something sharp press into my shoulder, the pain was terrible and I started to hallucinate from the pain and the loss of blood, because I could have sworn he was trying to eat me. Anyway he also punctured other places in my back and one of them permanently damaged the nerve in my leg." 

  


The young Slayerette was shocked by the story Dr Weaver was telling her, it sounded to her expert ears like Dr Weaver had survived a Vampire attack but just didn't know it. When Dr Weaver noticed the look on Wallow's face she stood up. I'm so sorry Willow, I've upset you." 

  


Willow shook herself from her shock and allowed her face to appear relaxed again. "No Dr Weaver, not at all, how did you get away from the mugger?"

  


"No Willow you really should rest." 

  


The red head shook her head and tried to look sad. "But it'll keep me awake all night wondering!" 

  


Dr Weaver sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. "Ok, well obviously I was saved! A girl around my age appeared out of nowhere - remember I was hallucinating, I had lost a lot of blood - and they fought, then the man who attacked me just disappeared, like he vanished into thin air, he was gone. The girl rushed over to me and asked if I was ok, she kept asking me and telling me not to sleep, that I needed to stay awake, then just before I slipped into unconsciousness I looked into her eyes and I knew that she would save me. Her eyes held a strange mixture of power, sadness, guilt and most of all loneliness. It was so deep and painful it reached out to me and I felt that by living I would save her. As I slipped into darkness I trusted her that I would wake up again and I did a few days later. I stirred in the hospital bed and felt movement beside me, then a soft voice saying 'Nurse she's coming around'. I opened my eyes to see the girl who had saved me she turned and smiled then said you'll be all right, never the same, but all right. We can't ask more than that'. I asked her who she was but she shook her head 'It's not important Kerry, Good-bye'. I called for her to wait and she did, standing, looking at me, waiting for what I wanted to say. I couldn't think of anything to express how I felt, so I just said 'Thank you'. She smiled again. You don't need to thank me it's my job.' And then she left. I often wonder what happened to her, I would love to thank her properly."

  


Willow let out a breath she was not aware she was holding. That's such an amazing story, did you have no idea who she was?" 

Dr Weaver shook her head. "No, she gave a false name to the nurses and told them we were friends so she could be at my bedside. I looked around all the local high schools and colleges but there was no trace."

  


"How sad." Normally the shy wicca would try to be optimistic and say there's always hope', but if she had been saved by a slayer then she was very sure that the girl was dead. Nevertheless, she placed all the information in the back of her mind; she could look into it later. It occurred to her then that she had never put much thought into the slayers before her best Friend because it had always bought thoughts of the slayers after and that upset her. The feelings must have showed on her face because Dr Weaver looked concerned.

  


"Willow are you ok, are you in pain?"

  


Once again the red head shook her head and quickly wiped a tear from her eye. "It's okay, I'm fine. Tell me more about your recovery."

  


Dr Weaver seemed uncertain but continued. She realized shortly after beginning her story that she had never told anyone all of it before and maybe that was why she had never related to people as well as she could. Maybe that was the reason she was the way she was, so she continued. "Well I was lucky, it all happened a few weeks before the summer vacation so I had enough time to get back to a physical state where I could walk. At that time it was on two crutches, I did the exercises I was told to everyday, spent hours walking and eventually I got to one crutch but there was no way for me to lose that one, I can only hold my own weight on it for a few minutes and even then I can't walk. So, I made up my mind not to let it stop me, I didn't need to be physically perfect I just had to survive." 

  


The red head listened carefully to all Dr Weaver said and stored anything that seemed like a clue in her mind, she wanted to ask more things about the girl, but she held her tongue, Dr Weaver seemed to be on a role.

  


"It's amazing how that one piece of advice she gave me got me through the end of high school. After my illness, my friends looked at me as if they had never seen me before and I spent a lot of time alone, but every time I felt I couldn't go on I would remember those words; 'you'll survive, we can't ask more than that'. Well Willow, you survived too, so count your blessings and get some rest!"

  


Dr Weaver stood up and closed her eyes briefly but the observant red head still noticed. "Does it still give you pain?" 

  


Dr Weaver smiled at her concern. "I can't complain." 

  


The hacker put out her hand and caught her jacket sleeve. Dr Weaver stopped and turned back to her, waiting. "So that's a yes then?" 

  


Dr Weaver's eyes rimmed with tears, no one had ever asked her if she was in pain. No one ever noticed the brief pauses in her speech or in her stride. No one ever cared that much at all, so she decided honesty was the best policy. "Sometimes it hurts so much I don't think I can take another step." 

  


Willows eye's also filled with tears. "But you do?" 

  


As she answered, a single tear ran down Dr Weaver's cheek. "Yes, Because of people like you."

  


"Me?"

  


"People that need my help. During my recovery I realized that I couldn't do what that girl did; I couldn't protect people, but I could help them survive, I could work with the people like her and Buffy."

  


"People like Buffy?" the young woman was surprised that Dr Weaver would put Buffy in the same table as her rescuer. Maybe somehow Dr Weaver's sixth sense had recognized the blond for who she was, a slayer, a protector. 

Dr Weaver herself was also having trouble knowing why she had grouped Buffy in with her rescuer. She knew the answer was hidden in her mind somewhere but it eluded her so she said the only reason she could think of. "She found the strength to carry you into this hospital, the least I could do was make it worth her while". 

  


Both woman knew that was not the real reason but they did not have anything better so they left it at that. Dr Weaver looked down at Willow's hand, which was still holding onto her sleeve. "I'm sorry Willow I really need to go." 

  


The red headed Wiccan nodded and withdrew her hand. "Goodnight Dr Weaver." 

  


Dr Weaver stood at the door and Willow could not see her face but her voice was clear and sad as she replied, "Goodnight Willow." 

  


As she turned to go the young Wiccan spoke again as she settled back down into the bed. "Dr Weaver?"

  


"Yes Willow?"

  


"You don't have to be alone anymore." 

  


Hope sprung up in Dr Weaver's chest. "Really?"

  


"You have us." 

  


Dr Weaver's pride came rampaging to her mouth before anything else. "Willow, I didn't tell you that story for your sympathy or to bargain for your friendship." Dr Weaver was angry with herself before she had finished the sentence. It was so typical for her pride to ruin everything, but the young woman seemed undaunted by her outburst.

  


"You don't need sympathy Dr Weaver, and my friendship can't be bought with one little story." 

  


Dr Weaver left quickly before she said anything else, more tears spilling down her cheeks, but they were happy tears. She really felt like she had connected with somebody and it felt good after so long.

  


***

  


Willow drifted off to sleep. She didn't know why she had offered Dr Weaver the friendship of the group but after she seen Buffy talking to the doctor and how much faith she had shown, The red head was sure she would not be hard to convince and Willow herself was so very sure Dr Weaver would be good for them. She drifted off knowing also what danger she had put the doctor in and wondered whether it was selfish on her part to invite anyone into such a dangerous lifestyle without their permission. She decided to talk to her Friend about it the next time they had a few minutes alone. Until then she allowed herself to be engulfed into a world filled with dreams and nightmares.

  


  


  


  


  



	2. It all Happened in 1974

Title: There is no place like a new home (Temp title) Author: Kirsty Dalziel Rating:G Distribution: Ask please Feedback: Please, lots of it: kirstydalziel@hotmail.com Summary: Buffy/ER Crossover What if Dr Weaver Moved to Sunnydale and became Friends with the gang? Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Buffy or ER just my wild imagination and I'm not in control of it either, Notes:Just something I'v been playing around with for a while Dedications:for my Beta reader of course, and lorna who always says my stuff is good even if it's not, thanks  
  
Chapter 2:It all happened in 1974  
  
The ER was Quiet once again, a rush of burn patents at 5 am had ruined the quiet night and now at 7 the hush after a hectic time had settled over the staff and patients alike, Kerry was standing at the reception alone when the phone began to ring she looked around and wondered where the night receptionist was, sighing quietly to herself she she picked it up "Sunnydale Memorial Emergency room, How can I help you?" the voice on the other side of the phone was quiet but had more confidence than she remembered "Hi, my name Is Tara Maclay, I'm calling to check on Willow Rosenberg" "Tara It's Dr Weaver we met last night when Willow came in" "Yes Hello Doctor, I wasn't expecting you to answer the phone yourself" "I know but my receptionist seems to have disappeared, and I am a woman of many Talents" Tara chucked "I'm sure you are, How is Willow?" "She is just fine,I just checked in on her a few minutes ago and she was asleep I'll wake her up in an hour and she should be ready by about 10 is it ok for you to pick her up then?" "Yes, 10 is fine, thank you very much" "you don't need to thank me it's my job, I'll see you then Bye" "Bye" they both hung up and as Kerry went to do her rounds Tara went downstairs it was Willows turn to make breakfast, so Tara felt it was her place to do it.  
  
Buffy was getting dressed when she heard Tara walking down the stairs, she assumed Tara had already called the hospital this morning, Buffy herself had called 3 times through the night the first time she called she had spoken to a nurse who told her that Willow was fine but added in a gossipy voice that she was drinking tea with Dr Weaver, it seemed strange and also very comforting that the Doctor had done as she had asked and was looking after her friend,all calls after that resulted in the same nurse getting more annoyed with her and simply saying Willow was 'Asleep and fine'.  
  
Buffy left her room and started for the kitchen as she passed Dawn's room she quietly looked in on her teenage sister, the Sight of Dawn sleeping peacefully, perfectly content knowing that any problem even thoughts that could not result in the end of the world would be sorted by her Guardian, Slayer strength or not the weight of the responsibility slumped her shoulders but she stood tall not because she is Buffy the slayer but because she's Buffy the girl,the same girl who promised her mother she would look after her sister and she intended to keep the promise even if it killed her she continued down after Tara, as she got to the bottom of the stairs she looked to the right and seen Xander and Anya cuddled up on the sofa they where a sweet couple and Buffy prayed that they would make it, she then quietly made her way to the kitchen where Tara was mixing batter for pancakes,she looked up as Buffy entered the room "Morning Buffy how did you sleep?" "Not very well, you?" "Me either I was so worried about Willow" Tara poured the batter into the pan and watched it sizzle Buffy spoke above the noise "Me too,did you call the hospital to check on her?" "Yes, a few times" Before Buffy could reply a sleepy Xander walked into the kitchen he must have heard them because he joined into the conversation "Me too, and the nurse I spoke to got really Cranky"Xander dropped himself onto one of the breakfast bar stools and stretched then he looked at Tara and Buffy as he continued to speak "Aren't nurses supposed to be trained in cheerfulness?" Buffy shook her head in a I-give-up-on-you gesture "Well Xander since I called three times, Tara called a few times and so did you and she's been in that hospital less than 12 hours I can see how it would bother her" they all shared a welcomed moment of fun before Buffy once again went into serious best friend mode "the last time you called did they give you a time to pick her up or did the nurse just fume?" Tara smiled as she put the first pancake on the plate Xander picked it up and ate it before the sizzle of the next one sounded Tara ignored the disappearing pancake and spoke "Well actually the last time I called I spoke to Dr Weaver she said to pick her up a 10" Buffy looked surprised "Why did Dr Weaver answer the phone herself?" Tara was busy turning the pancake she was making to answer for a few moments then when she finally spoke she did so casually and with out thought "something about the receptionist disappearing.................." then Tara's eye's shot up to meet Buffy's "you don't think..." her words trailed off again but Xander jumped in "What that we live on a hellmouth, that people run away from there jobs in the middle of the night and don't end up dead,not to mention that the demon we almost killed before it nearly killed Willow and Buffy recharges it's batteries by extracting the life force from woman, and that any of those things are related at all" all eye's fell upon Xander,who helped himself to the now burned pancake Tara still had on the spatula he ate it then looked at the two girls "What I was looking on the bright side in Willows absence" Buffy shook her head again "Xander do me favor,and DON'T,as far as optimistic speeches go, you suck, leave them to Willow" Xander smiled "I,I Captain, is it warp factor 9 to the hospital then" Buffy stood looked between Xander and Tara trying to come up with a quick plan "Ok Xander, wake Anya, she needs to stay with Dawn, then the three of us can go check it out and hope it's nothing, we meet in the car in 5 minutes" with that Tara turned off the stove and they all left the kitchen  
  
Buffy sat in the front passenger seat of the car waiting for the others she tapped her fingers on the dash board, then reached over to pressed the horn, seconds after the loud beep Tara and Xander came rushing out of the house, Tara slipped into the drivers seat and Xander into the Back seat behind her, Xander leaned between the two front seats "We could have taken my car" Buffy looked back at him then shook her head "We can't the last time you got caught speeding for us you nearly lost your license and we cant afford that, Tara and Willow are the only ones that can speed and get away with it"Xander sat back in the seat he spoke deliberately and convincingly like a 5 year old "Just because they use the force" then he started to mimic Willow and Tara's technique for getting out of tickets mixed with some Jedi hand movements "I was not speeding,I can go on my way" he then looked out the window and muttered "these are not the droids your looking for" Tara Smiled and Buffy sighed "Xander we don't have the time" Xander shook himself out of his pretend huff and again leaned between the seats "I know, so what are we waiting for?" Tara nodded and turned the key which Buffy had already placed in the ignition and they sped to the hospital, thankfully all was quiet on the sunday morning and they never got stopped by the police, even though Tara never got a speeding ticket, when she was caught it took time to pull over then Tara had to pull off her mojo it was time they did not have. Once they reached the hospital Tara slowed the car to a stop then closed her eye's Buffy was anxious to get ot her friend so she spoke up "Tara what are you doing?"Tara opened her eye's and looked apologetically to Buffy "Sorry, it's just that Willow and I worked out this spell to find the nearest parking space, it comes in useful when going to the mall on a Saturday morning" Buffy looked around the busy parking lot "Anything?" "There are a few but not close why don't I drop you off at the door,then I'll catch up?"Buffy thought a moment "No offense Xander but I may need Tara's magic abilities so can you park the car?"Xander swallowed his male pride in milliseconds, practice from so many years of loyalty to Buffy and Willow, people who even though stronger and smarter than him needed him and he accepted his role in there lives "Sure Buff no problem" Tara drove to the Er entrance and got out the car leaving the door open, Buffy also got out and stood beside Tara, Xander took his seat and looked to the girls "So where is the nearest space?" Tara momentarily closed her eye's when she opened them she smiled "one just opened up 4 rows then to the left, I've put a protection on it so it should still be there for you"Xander looked in the direction of the space "Really?, hay could we have a talk later, I've had my eye on this space close to my work...." he was cut of by Buffy's Warning tone "Xander" Xander looked at Buffy "Yeah I know no time, why are you still standing there then?"With that said Xander sped of in the direction of the protected space  
  
Tara and Buffy ran into the Er they looked around for any signs of foul play, but everything seemed quiet and as far as Sunnydale was concerned normal, Dr Weaver was once again standing by the reception she had managed to get a nurse who was now unhappily manning the post, she had reported the missing girl to personnel who for they're part seemed uninterested so Kerry got on with her work it was then she felt a prickling on her neck, she could not explain it but it felt somehow Familiar then she looked up and met Buffy's searching eye's, she sensed trouble so she put down the chart and made her way to the entrance and the source of her feeling, as she approached them she looked briefly at her watch "Good morning girls, I did say 10 right?"Buffy looked at her own watch as Tara answered "Yes,Dr Weaver you did, we thought we would come a little early" Tara looked over to Buffy for more support "Yeah and we thought 8:15 was good" Dr Weaver looked suspiciously at the two young woman "Really?" Buffy looked towards Willows room her Slayer senses surrounding the immediate area searching for danger, she did feel a dark energy near but she knew they where in no immediate danger and she really wanted to talk to Willow "Could we just have a few minutes with Willow?"Kerry looked worried but again the feeling of trust and comfort folded around her so she relented "Sure, I just woke her up a few minutes ago she may be getting dressed, Buffy there is something your not telling me"Buffy stood and motioned Tara to go ahead  
  
Buffy and Kerry watched Tara walk away then turned to regard each other Kerry looked expectantly "I'm sorry Dr Weaver, but I can't explain" Kerry looked at the young woman impatiently "Buffy, Eventually you'll need to tell me"Buffy shook her head "Dr Weaver for you sake I hope not" worried scarred Kerry's face once again "If your in some sort of trouble maybe I can help" Buffy shook her head "Dr Weaver you did your part by helping my friend you cleaned up my mess because I should never have let her get hurt"Dr Weaver began to protest but Buffy stopped her with a wave of her hand "Please Dr Weaver I know what happened, and I know I was Lucky, But I also know that Willow chose to be by my side for the last six year she chose the life we lead,Everyone in the gang became a member by accident and chose to be a part of it,well except me, but if I stand here and tell you the ins and outs of my life then that's my choice to do that and I wont chose that life for you, I can't" Buffy ended and started to walk in the direction Tara went, she was stopped by Dr Weavers Voice "What about you?" Buffy turned in one graceful movement "What?" Dr Weaver closed the gap in a few less graceful steps "Why did you join if it wasn't by accident or choice?"Sadness flashed through Buffy's features "Destiny, Fate, rotten luck, you can take your pick"Buffy's senses began to tingle the danger was getting slowly closer "I'm sorry Dr Weaver Duty Calls"  
  
As she walked towards the room she noticed that the curtains had been pulled around the bed so she slowed her walking, behind the curtain she heard muffled sounds of welcome then seconds later Tara pulled the curtains back to reveal a healed and happy Willow "Hay Buffy,What brings you so early, Dr Weaver said you wouldn't be hear until 10 I was just going to call" Buffy was sorry to bring bad news into the new day "Trouble" Willows features clouded with concern "Is everyone ok?"Buffy nodded and sat Willow down on the bed "Everyone is ok, but did you know that the night receptionist is missing?"Willow shook her head "No,when did this happen?" "Tara found out by accident when she called this morning and spoke to Dr Weaver" Willow looked between Tara and Buffy "Maybe she's back, or just went home, it may not have been anything bad" Buffy smiled at Willows optimism but knew it was unfounded "Well there's a nurse there just now so she never came back.........." Buffy was about to explain the feelings in the area when she released she was underestimating Willow and Tara's own abilities "Willow close your eye's,you too Tara" both did as she asked without question "Now concentrate.......................... do you feel anything?" Willow opened her eye's a few seconds later "Yes" Tara opened hers and nodded her agreement, Buffy Smiled at them both "Welcome to my world" Willow shook her head to release the overwhelming feeling "It's so strong, I don't know how I never noticed it before, is this how you know when bad things are near, do you feel that all the time" Buffy rubbed Willows arm to comfort her if it where possible to feel closer to her best friend she did then, they had all connected in a way Buffy herself never imagined, Buffy pushed on with business "It's the same thing we fought last night and I'd say it's on this floor of the hospital" Willow was amazed "How do you know all that, I can just feel this huge weight of evil on my chest?" "Years of practice, so we need a better plan than last night and quick" They all thought a moment, this was when Xander came into the room, he stopped at the silence "Something I said?" Willow looked up at him just noticing his arrival she stood and met him in the middle of the room they hugged "Hay Will, how are ya?"Willow pulled away "Better thanks" she took her place beside Buffy,subconsciously sitting at her right hand, the symbolism was only lost on the two the best friends. Xander sat on the only available chair and Tara perched on the other side of the bed,Xander who was not a big fan of silence spoke first "So are we planning something?"Willow nodded, then her eye's widened in excitement "I've been working on this shock paralyzing spell, I haven't had a chance to try it on a real..... anything yet, but it could work" Buffy seemed concerned and she new the others where thinking the same as her so she spoke for them all "Willow,are you sure you can do it,your not exactly 100%" Willow frowned but understood that her friends where only worried about her so she tried to take most of the hurt from her voice "Buffy I can do it. and if Tara will connect with me she can make up more than what I'm lacking" Buffy turned her attention on to Tara she did not like putting the blond witch under pressure but all there lives where at stake so she had no choice, Buffy seen the uncertainty in the Tara's Blue eye's turn to resolve and Buffy new the answer to the her unspoken question, it became clear to her then that she and Tara had there own bond and Buffy trusted her to look after them all, Buffy's mind started working through the the problems and the potential ones it never hurt to be overly prepared but she knew that when dealing with demons and things that wanted you for dinner there was always a few factors you never considered and that put everyone in danger, Buffy's thought where interrupted when someone cleared there throat at the door they all looked in the direction and seen Dr Weaver silhouetted in the frame "Buffy?" Dr Weaver said the name in the form of a question and with it attitude of I-am-not-going-to-give-this-up Buffy smiled internally she looked at Dr Weaver and knew that this was the factor she had not accounted for "Could we have a few more minutes with Willow?" Dr Weaver seemed unhappy with the idea but she nodded quietly and left, Buffy looked to Willow and received a confused look in return so Buffy Explained without being prompted "Dr Weaver is getting Suspicious already, what should we tell her?" Willow looked to the others in the room and said rather awkwardly "Would you guys mind if I had a few minutes alone with Buffy?,I'll explain later promise" Surprise crossed both Xander and Tara's faces but they left the room without anger, hurt or protest, it was Buffy's turn to be confused "Will?" Willow cleared her throat "I had to send them out because I need to talk to you about Dr Weaver and we don't have a lot of time for Questions or group decisions" Buffy nodded her understanding she knew it was quicker for her to make a decision for the group without the lengthy talking with the others, and weather official or not Willow was her second in command especially since Giles left so in terms of efficiency this was allowed. Buffy waited for Willow to continue "I think we should tell Dr Weaver the truth" the fact Willow proposed Dr Weaver Become a member of the Scoobys and the fact it did not shock Buffy, confirmed to them both that they shared the feeling of being connected to Dr Weaver, but the idea presented problems of it's own and Buffy spoke up "So it's not just me?" Willow nodded her head and Buffy continued "It's weird you know it's like I know her, even though I have never seen her before" Willow nodded again in agreement "I know Buffy it's like when I first met you" Buffy smiled and looked at her best friends Green eye's meeting green eye's "I said the same thing to Tara last night"the two girls shared a moment of friendship before Buffy moved onto the important issues, she stood up to add power to her words and also pacing back and forth helped her think "But Willow, you of all people know how dangerous it is knowing what we know,and to deliberately expose someone to that,It's selfish of us, I don't think I can do that to anybody, And besides I already told her I couldn't" Willow Stood from the bed and stopped Buffy's pacing with a hand on her shoulder "I agree, We won't tell her anything, zip, nil, nothing, nada" Buffy smiled  
  
"Ok enough, I get the point, but what are we going to tell her now?" they both dropped into silence Willow stood "We tell her nothing, we don't start lying we just say nothing" Buffy agreed "Good Idea, but we still have a demon to kill" As they left the room to meet up with Xander and Tara, Buffy remembered something she had wanted to ask "So Will, Tea with Dr Weaver what did you talk about?" excitement flashed over Willows face "Ooh, we spoke of her disability, and I think there more to it than she even knows" Buffy was intrigued "In what way?" "Lets just say I'll need to look it up in the watchers diaries to know for certain" Buffy Stopped and looked at her best Friend just before they reached there destination "Really, Was Dr Weaver disability caused by something supernatural?" Willow nodded "I think so, and if I'm right she was attacked by a vampire and saved by a slayer"Buffy was shocked by the new information "How easy will it be to know for sure?" Willow thought for a moment "Not hard at all,when I get a few minutes, If we kill this thing just know I can verify it today" Buffy started to walk towards the others again "Ok then lets get started, it's getting closer"  
  
After Xander and Buffy made a short trip back to the Car to get some discrete weapons they successfully avoided Dr Weaver and where searching for the demon in the Quiet hospital it seemed that Sunday mornings was a good day to go hunting demons in a hospital, Buffy lead the group followed closely by Willow and Tara, Xander took up the rear, they cautiously walked on, acting normal when ever someone happened to walk passed, suddenly Buffy crouched lower as she came to a corner she looked back the assembled group "it's close" Xander griped this knife more securely and Willow took Tara's hand they shared a united look and a united front,Buffy was assured that they where all ready, she herself griped the longer knife ready for action,She played the plan out in her head once again and prayed nothing unexpected happened Kerry (AKA unexpected thing) had noticed Willows absence and in her motherly professional Way she went in search, as she round a corner she noticed Buffy leading the others into an Empty examination room, as the door Swung quietly closed she continued towards them, Just then she heard shouts and struggling so she went forward in a rush  
  
The Door to the examination room had only closed seconds before the creature attacked, Buffy's eye's grew accustomed to the duller light before the others so she managed a swift kick into the things midsection before the others could focus properly, it stumbled back and hit the empty tray beside the high hospital bed , the thing was a Trelome Demon it killed young woman and had been Rampaging through Sunnydale for a week, it had already killed 8 Woman and had eluded Buffy and the Gang at nearly every step, It stood at about 6 feet it was green and scaly with Yellow horns protruding from the top of it's head down his back and finishing at the end of a very long tale . It had a large mouth with nose to match but it's eye's where small black and set deep into it's head, the eye's held an intelligence that made Buffy uncomfortable so she kicked it again this time high in the chest the thing bent over in a moment of pain and blindly searched for a weapon it's hand came to the fallen tray on the floor so it picked it up a threw it towards Buffy, Buffy seen the tray fly towards her and she ducked, the silver rectangle flew over the top of head and hit an unsuspecting Tara across the Bridge of her nose, Buffy with her slayer hearing heard the bone snap in one clean brake , Tara Fell to her knees Blood poured from her nose and tears streamed her face Willow called her name and rushed to her side,Rage filled Buffy so strongly that she did not notice Dr Weaver enter the room and stand in shock as she watched the Drama unfold, Buffy held her knife a bit higher as she advanced on the creature it backed away slowly Everyone in the room registered the frightened movement but Buffy still Advanced, when it had backed itself to the wall it started to shake, Buffy's Hatred filled the room, she lifted her leg and brought it down on the things knee everyone in the room winced as the sound of the bones being crushed echoed through the room Buffy whispered "That's for Tara's broken nose" the thing, bent in half from the pain, was dealt another blow when Buffy brought the hilt of the knife down on the back of it's head this time it fell to the floor and Buffy's whisper sounded again "that's for Willow's concussion" Buffy then stood to the side of the Demon and before she struck she whispered again "and this is for the 8 Women you killed" as she spoke the last words she brought the knife down in a blur of silver it sliced easily through the creatures neck and the head rolled away from the body the deep black eye's staring up at the ceiling, lifeless and dull, Buffy Dropped the knife and walked towards Tara who was now sitting and leaning against Willow her nose had begun to swell and her eye's where bloodshot and starting to blacken Buffy kneeled down to her level "Tara Are you ok?" Tara nodded her head gently her vision was surrounded in a black haze and she was afraid any real movement would cause her the black out, even the simple head movement cause ribbons of black to cross her sight when she spoke it was quiet and husky "How do you know it's Broken?" Buffy looked embarrassed but smiled slightly it was just like Tara to pick up on everything she had said even in amongst her own pain "I heard it, slayer hearing" Tara nodded her head again but regretted it, just then the fluorescent light flickered on like an old car engine trying to catch in the winter, all eye's turned to the Door and Dr Weaver stood there her hand lowering from the light switch, Buffy looked from Dr Weaver to the body then back there is no way she did not see it, But Dr Weaver deliberately kept her eye's in the opposite direction, which Buffy concluded meant that Dr Weaver had been there for a while Buffy was just not sure how long she stood to ask but the look in Dr Weavers eye's stopped her, Fear, Dr Weaver was afraid of her it was not a look she was used to seeing in humans it could only mean one thing that Dr Weaver had seen the whole thing, well at least the part where she had brutally killed the demon, Buffy lowered her eye's to the floor, her own actions surprised her she had never been ashamed of what she was or what she did before, but somehow taking a life even of a Killer demon in front of a preserver of life bothered her more than she thought possible, It was when she looked to the ground she realized she had Demon blood on her black leather boots and down the front of her sweater, the irrational thought occurred to her and she wondered if the new "tough on tough Stains" washing powder could save her top  
  
After a few awkward moments Dr Weavers medical side kicked in and she walked towards Tara as she did so Buffy stepped back, Kerry had Willow and Xander help Tara to her feet and then to a sitting position on the bed, she was probing the injury as Tara winced in pain Kerry took a deep breath and took one step back "Well Tara it's broken, I'll need to take an X-ray to know how badly"Tara instantly looked at Buffy who had managed to hid in the corner of the room, she was in deep thought when Tara spoke "Buffy?" Buffy looked in there direction pain,guilt and sadness evident on her features the feeling so strong in her that she could not wipe them from her face but she tried "What?" Tara took a few moments before speaking again she knew that what she was going to say would hurt Buffy so she changed her Mind "Nothing" Buffy took one step forward but not enough to be part of the group she tried a week smile "you want to know how badly I think it's broken?" Tara was ashamed of her own insensitivity, so she nodded quickly then looked at Willow who gave her a reassuring smile, Buffy nodded and regarded Dr Weaver but did not look into her eye's "It was just one clean break" Dr Weaver nodded and turned once again to Tara "that's good but I think I should do an x-ray just in case" Tara began to shake her head but decided against it so she just spoke "No thanks Dr Weaver I trust Buffy, and I just want to go home" Dr Weaver was not happy about the decision but she knew that there was no way she could change the young woman's mind "Very Well" she started to walk towards the medicine cabinet when she released she would need to go by the demon body she glanced at it then to Buffy, Buffy noticed the hesitation then spoke to Xander "Xander we need to get rid of this thing give me a hand" Xander stepped forward he had been uncharacteristically Quiet it was clear he was not sure how to hand the fact that someone else knew there secret, he tried unsuccessfully to move the headless corps, Buffy shook her head and picked up the head with by it's horns she gave it to Xander "you take this" she then draped a sheet over the body and easily picked it up from the ground she then placed it over her shoulder as she walked towards the door she looked back into the room Tara in pain, Willow visibly upset and Dr Weaver fear etched across her features,Buffy fought the look of guilt that passed through her own eye's but it was noticed by the three women so instead of trying to mask it further she left the room and hoped no one was manning the incinerator on a Sunday morning  
  
When they got back Willow had found a mop and had cleared up the blood, Dr Weaver had given Tara a pain Killing injection and a prescription for pills she had also put a bandage over her nose and assured her that it would heal without and disfigurement,As they all left the room Willow supported Tara by placing her arm around her waist Tara held on to Willow to maximize the contact Xander lopped along side them at Tara's other side on the off chance they may need and extra shoulder to lean on, Which meant that Buffy had to face Dr Weaver, Firstly they spoke idly about Dr Weaver Signing Willow out of hospital as soon as the got to the main reception,it was clear that both where uncomfortable with this lack of communication but either wanted to bring it up,Buffy because she did not want to see the fear again in Dr Weavers eye's and Buffy because she did not want to see the guilt and sadness in Buffy's so they walked along in uncomfortable silence,  
  
Once at the main reception Dr Weaver had Willow sign a form and they where told to go on there way as the all started to leave Buffy stopped and turned to face Kerry Again "Thanks again Dr Weaver........ I'm sorry about before, getting you involved" she trailed of and Dr Weaver walked forward "Get me involved in what, Buffy you still haven't told me what I seen today" they both stood in uncomfortable silence then Willow joined them "Look Dr Weaver we owe you an explanation and a chance to make your own choice" she looked at Buffy then continued to speak "Like the chance we all had" Buffy met Willows Eye's and they understood that Willow was in her own way once again trying to alleviate Buffy's Constant Guilt Buffy nodded her head then met Dr Weavers Eye's "Why we have Dinner, We can explain then and answer any Questions"Dr Weaver had never said yes when a patient offered her dinner but this time she knew she had to accept "Ok, what time?" "We normally have dinner around 7:30, is that enough time for you too sleep?" Dr Weaver nodded "I'll see you then" as she turned to leave Buffy stopped her again "Dr Weaver Would you mind if I had someone look into your records?"Dr Weaver looked angry and puzzled "you mean the police?"Buffy though for a moment "Something like that,maybe a bit deeper"Dr Weaver still felt anger and pride rise up in her then another though occurred to her and she spoke that thought instead of all the less negative ones that where hitting the sides of her brain "I have nothing to hide"she then smiled as best she could and walked back to finish her charts, then she could go home and get some sleep tonight all the many Questions she had would hopefully be answered and that was worth a bit of probing in her uneventful life  
  
As Willow and Buffy walked out of the hospital Buffy spoke quietly "Will, How much can you find out about Dr Kerry Weaver, including if she was attacked by a vampire by 7:30 tonight" Willow smiled confidently "Buffy by 7:30 I could know everything from her first words to the colour of her great great great great great great great Grandmothers eye's,Why what specifically do you need"Buffy looked serious despite Willows humor "Willow I need to know if she has ever apart from a vamp attack been associated with the supernatural, If I'm going to let this woman into our home or our lives, I need to know I can trust her" Willows face suddenly matched Buffy's seriousness "I'll start as soon as we get home"  
  
At six o'clock that night Willow and Buffy sat in the sitting room of there house, Xander and Anya had taken Dawn for food and the cinema before she stayed over with them, Buffy wanted her out of the way, Tara had spent most of the day on strong pain medication and even now was fast asleep in the room that had once belonged to Buffy's Mother but was not shared by Herself and Willow, Willow for her part sat surrounded in Watchers Diary's,printed sheets of paper and a laptop as she had done most of the day, as Buffy sat across form her she seen Willow gather her notes and books and mentally gather her thoughts she then looked towards Buffy, Buffy sat straighter in her chair "what have you got" "Well, How much do you need yo know?"Buffy thought about it "Highlights emphasizing Vamp attacks and the last few years" Willow nodded and looked down again at her pad "Well Dr Kerry Weaver was born in May 11 1957 give or take a few days"Buffy put up her hand "Give or take a few Days?" Willow nodded "Patients I'm getting to it, Dr Weaver was abandoned as a baby she was found outside A Dr Robert Weavers Office, her age was estimated to be about 2 weeks but they where never sure, anyway Dr Weaver decided to adopt the orphan, The police found the mother but she never wanted to anything to do with the baby, she was fined for neglect and said she had the baby alone and couldn't remember the day she was born or the name of the father, so she put the baby up for adoption, Dr Weaver and his Wife Sarah Weaver had grown very attached so they kept her anyway everything is normal up until 1974 Dr Weaver was 17 and a senior at Glenstone high on the outskirts of Chicago but can I keep the Attach to the end?" Buffy nodded and Willow continued "Well after the attack she went to Collage, Medical school Graduated top of her class, worked in a few hospitals until 1995 when she joined County General in Chicago worked her way up the ranks made a few enemy's and a few friends left there to come here 2 weeks ago" Buffy took in the information "Why did she move, what 2000 miles west to California from Illinois and why Sunnydale of all the small towns in America" Willow looked at her notes and found no answer to the questions Buffy was asking "Well All I get it she left County for personal reasons, why she came here"Willow shrugged her shoulders "The same thing that brought you here.......... Fate"Buffy thought that through "Ok tell me about the Attack in 1974" Willow nodded and got excited "Ok this is where it gets really interesting Dr Weaver was admitted the hospital with a hit to the head and a severer cuts on her shoulder and also near her spine, the cuts seemed to be two punctures per wound, the spine wound damaged the nerve for her leg and it is practically useless now except when using a cane or crutch" "So it was a vamp attack then?" Willow nodded "Well I thought so, but I dug deeper especially about the mysterious girl who saved her, But I couldn't find out who she was until I looked up the Watchers Diaries" Willow put down the pad and picked up an old Diary, Willow was thankful that when he left Giles had left copies of the watchers diaries dating back 100 years she had simple looked up the Diary for the year she was looking for then she had read the entries surrounding the time of attack, she smoothed out the pages she had highlighted before hand "Well the Slayer at the time was named Elizabeth Dramas and she was based in Chicago and there was reference to Dr Weaver so I think it's clear it was a vampire Attack" Buffy nodded she was happy with Willows conclusion "Tell me about this Elizabeth"Willow looked worried and hesitated before she answered, Causing Buffy to get suspicious "What?" Willow looked again at the book she held "Well it's just that I don't know how you'll take hearing about another slayer, especially one who couldn't handle the job"Buffy felt surprise surface on her face she had always believe that every slayer before her had taken there duty head on and had not struggled the way she had, but she looked again at Willow, silence filled the room until Willow was forced to meet Buffy's eye's "Just tell me what you have, I'm a big girl I can take it" Willow nodded slowly "Well Elizabeth was slayer for 5 years, but for the first 6 months her watcher Gail Mcgregor noted several times that she was worried about her and that she was having a 'large amount of trouble adjusting to her task' in fact every entry mentions it in some form, the Vampire that attacked Dr Weaver was named Nicholas according to the entries Elizabeth had been tracking him for 2 weeks and over 20 people had died Elizabeth was racked with guilt and Gail was worried that if she didn't find Nicholas soon Elizabeth would do something 'rash' but eventually She caught the Vamp half way through the attack of a 'young woman named Kerry Weaver' according to the entry Dr Weaver was close to death and Elizabeth stayed by her side, which of course we knew, Gail was very pleased when she pulled threw and it seemed that when Dr Weaver thanked her it turned Elizabeth's life around, she then seen Slaying as her purpose in life she trained harder and focused and became a 'wonderful slayer',Gail was very proud, and apparently whenever Elizabeth felt the pressure of slaying she would go check on Dr Weavers progress and remind herself of why she was doing it, then unfortunately 4 and a half years later Elizabeth died ironically in a plane crash, when she was called to the Watchers council" Buffy smiled "That explains a lot" Confusion crept across Willows Face "Explains what?" Buffy smiled broader "Dr Weaver Became a focus For Elizabeth, to show her why saving the world was worth while, it must have left some sort of protective mark, that's why she reminds me of you, because over the years that's what you've done for me" Willow blushed at the huge compliment but chose not to comment on it they both knew what the other meant to them so there was no need to say the words "That also explains why Dr Weaver spoke of you in the same way as she did her rescuer, because she recognized the slayer in you and me in herself when you carried me into the ER" the both fell into silence releasing what they truly had in common with Dr Weaver possibly there newest scooby member  
  
"Tick, tick, tick" the clock in By Kerry's bed ticked loudly reminding her of every second she wasn't supposed to be in bed, it was now 6:15 and her alarm had gone of 15 minutes before, and she knew she should be up and showered but the events of the day -night- played through her head, many questions flew through her mind and she tried to sort them in priority, What was that thing?,what was Buffy?, why did she feel this trust toward complete strangers? another question pushed it's way to the surface of her mind Why was she so accepting of this bizarre situation? She knew the only person to answer that Question was herself, and she was stumped, she eventually got out of bed and made her way to the shower then she would get dressed and follow whatever it was that had taken this far, The word 'Destiny' popped into her mind but she batted it away she was running ahead of herself.  
  
Dr Weaver stood outside Buffy's house at 7:30, she took a deep breath and tapped the door, after a few seconds Willow opened it with a smile "Hello Dr Weaver, How are you?" "I'm fine Willow, How are you feeling?" Willow smiled and stepped back "I'm feeling much better" silence fell as they both stood there "May I come in, or should we eat out here?" Willow took another step back but said nothing Confusion spread across Dr Weavers Face but she stepped inside the house anyway, a smile spread further across Willows face "I'm sorry for being rude Dr Weaver but We never invite anyone into our home directly, Old habit" the confusion stayed etched on Dr Weavers Face "Why?" Willow lead the way into the lounge "It will be part of the explanation, Don't worry" Dr Weaver nodded "I'm still being very rude Dr Weaver it's just been a while, let me take your Coat, would you like a drink?" Dr Weaver slipped off the fawn waist length jacket, she moves the crutch from hand to hand with easy practiced movements, she handed the coat to Willow "Thanks,I would love a glass of water" Willow took the coat with smile "Please Dr Weaver sit down, I'll get Buffy and your drink" Willow left the lounge placed Dr Weavers Jacket on the coat stand then went to the kitchen through the Dinning room "Buffy Dr Weavers Here" Willow took the bottle of water out of the fridge and a clean glass form the cupboard as she poured the water into the glass she glanced at Buffy "How should we do this, Bad cop good cop?" Buffy smiled as she put the stir fry she was making onto 3 plates "It's a discussion Will not an interrogation, .................. and anyway you are terrible at bad cop" Willow giggled "I know that's why I need the practice......... you didn't answer my Question 'how are we going to do this?'" Buffy thought a moment then went an took 2 cans of coke out of the fridge for Willow and herself "First we eat then we talk truthfully, for some reason people never want to eat after the find out monsters are real" Willow pretended to be confused "I know some people are just strange that way" she left the kitchen with all the drinks and placed them on the dinning table, Buffy would sit at the head of the table with Willow to her right and Dr Weaver to her left  
  
They all sat in silence through out the meal they had idly chatted about the weather then Dr Weaver had asked detailed questions as to Willow and Tara's health she even went as far as to ask if she could look in on Tara later, she wanted to give them a quick check over, Willow nodded her agreement and they continued to eat, now the meal was over and they once again sat in the lounge, silence surrounded them and none of them could bring themselves to break it, until finally it became to much and Buffy spoke "Dr Weaver you can ask any Questions you like and we will answer them all honestly, but before you do, I want you to know that you don't have to do this you can do what most other Sunnydale people do and forget it ever happened then get on with your own life" Dr Weaver was sitting on her own on the couch with Willow sitting in the chair almost opposite to her, Buffy sat on the arm of Willows Chair "I cant forget Buffy, and I can't pretend it didn't happen, so I think I'm going to have to go with the questions, Is that all right?" Buffy inwardly smiled she was hoping that Dr Weaver had the inward Character to stand by the truth and not be like everyone else but she needed to let Dr Weaver make her own choice "Fire away" Dr Weaver thought for a few seconds getting her questions together "What was thing in the hospital this morning?" Buffy looked serious "That was a Demon, a Trelome Demon to be precise, but you don't need to know specific names yet, what you do need to accept is that some monsters are real" Buffy finished, Shock spread across Dr Weavers face, her mind was telling her this was a joke but with what she had seen it was hard to pass it off as anything less than the truth, with the conflict running it's course in her mind she decided to be skeptical at first then make up her mind later "So lets assume your right, that monsters are real you mean like......... what Werewolves, Vampires, witches?" Willow coughed and spoke "Witches aren't monsters, and werewolves are only monsters three days a month for the rest of the time they're just normal people" Dr Weaver shook her head and with difficulty stood she began to pace back and forth in front of the sofa, she couldn't get her head around the fact they where talking about Werewolves and witches as if they where everyday things "So if monsters are real,and you managed to kill that thing which was bigger and heavier than you, and it was frightened, it shook from fear, then you picked it up as if it weighed nothing, so if monsters are real what does that make you?" Buffy thought about it a moment "I'm a slayer, I'm not sure what that's classed under but I was Human once and if becoming the slayer makes you less human I never noticed the change so your asking if I'm human then I would answer yes, It's just that I have some differences" Dr Weaver stood numb, mind running faster and faster almost making her dizzy fear flowed through her body it seeped from her body and through the room so thick that Willow and Buffy could almost touch it, Willow stood from her chair and stood beside the shocked Doctor, then took her hand and lowered her back onto the sofa "Dr Weaver, I know how hard this is to accept, Trust me I do, But Buffy is not someone to be afraid of unless she offers to cook for you"Dr Weaver looked into Willows eye's and managed a small smile "So what exactly is a Slayer?"Buffy took a deep breath "Well I haven't had to say this in a while I hope I remember it all 'Into each generation a Slayer is born. One girl in all the world, a Chosen One. One born with the strength and skill to fight the vampires, to stop the spread of their evil and the swell of their numbers.' There it's like riding a bike" Dr Weaver did not look less confused Buffy sighed "It's times like this I miss Giles" Dr Weaver spoke barely above a whisper "Giles?" Buffy nodded Glade to be getting any response from the Doctor "My Watcher" Dr Weaver's frown deepened "Watcher?" Buffy Rolled her eye's and slid into Willows Vacant chair, she realized it was not going to be as easy to initiate someone into the group after so many years, and she really wished Giles was here he would have been able to tell her in simple English what she needed to know, so instead of mourning his absence she looked towards her next best option she looked at Willow, Willow returned the look and shook her head "Buffy I wouldn't be any good" Buffy nodded and sat Straighter "Willow you know your the substitute Watcher, it's practically your job, just remember what Giles said to you when you first found out" Willow sat straighter and spoke as close as she can remember the words Giles had spoken to her, As she began she could hardly believe she remembered it had been that long ago and she had been in a certain amount of shock herself "The world is older than you know and contrary to popular mythology it did not begin as a paradise, For untold eons Demons walked the earth and made it there home, there hell and in time they lost there purchase on this reality,The way was made for mortal animals for man,all that remains of the old ones are vestiges, certain magic's certain Creatures" Willow spoke clearly and with the slightest British accent as she took a breath Buffy spoke "And Vampires" Both Girls looked at each other and smiled they shared a moment of history and recollection of all they had been through, Dr Weaver interrupted "And Slayers?" Buffy shook her head and spoke quietly but determinedly "Slayers are not Demons" Willow nodded in agreement "Buffy is stronger,faster than any human alive, and she's an expert on more weapons and in more fighting skills than you even know exists,she also has a sixth sense that can detect a bad guy a mile away, But she's human, she can die, and she's one of the good guys, Like me, like you"  
  
After a 3 hour Conversation the girls managed explain the basics to Dr Weaver and even though she was frightened of the things she just found out about she felt like she could help and was assured that she could, so she asserted her new status by visiting Tara in the room she shared with Willow, she sat gently on the edge of the bed beside the sleeping girl Dr weaver whispered "Tara, Tara wake up for me" Tara gently woke from her sleep she moved her head and winced in pain then she slowly opened her eye's they met Dr Weavers, Tara looked from side to side making sure she was still in the room she fell asleep in once she was assured she was she smiled a small pain filled smile "Dr Weaver I didn't know you paid house calls" Dr Weaver returned the smile "Count yourself lucky, normally I don't, How are you feeling?" Tara pulled herself in the bed more just as Buffy entered the room with a small Doctors bag and laid it on the bed she laid Dr Weavers Car keys on the bedside cabinet and spoke Quietly "Hi Tara how are you?" Tara's smile Warmed "I'm fine, where's Willow?" "I'm here" Willow walked into the room after Buffy carrying a small bowl filled with cold water and a clean cloth she put the bowl beside the keys and made her was around the bed she sat on the other side close to Tara, there hands intertwined automatically and Tara's smile reached her eye's, Dr weaver opened the bag and looked inside Tara turned her attention to it "I thought you didn't make house Calls?" Dr Weaver looked from the bag to the Tara "It was a gift from my father he wanted me to go into General practice like him, but i liked the bag so now it's just a posh First aid kit, with 'some differences',Buffy could you clear that table for me " Buffy smiled at the echo of her own words then moved all the item except the bowl of water from the bedside cabinet, Dr weaver went back into her bag she took out a disposable Needle and syringe both in there sterile wrappers also an electronic thermometer, a light pen, a small Bottle of cloudy liquid and a stethoscope, the last item she just put around her neck to save room, buffy smiled and pecked into the bag "So Dr Weaver, do you have a coat rack in there somewhere, and a tape measure?" Dr Weaver smiled and looked up at Buffy "I think you can call me Kerry from now on Buffy"she looked at Tara and Willow "All of you can" the girls all smiled, with the way she said it they all seemed to know that being asked to call Dr Weaver by her first name was reserved for Friends and special people Dr Weaver then gave Tara a very short examination then looked over Willow, who protested claiming only a headache, Dr Weaver Finally decided to give Tara another injection of pain killers leaving her words slurred after a few minutes and drifting once again into sleep,then she produced a small bottle of pills for Willow  
  
Buffy and Dr Weaver left the room and walked down stairs back to the living room leaving Willow to take her medication and sit with Tara until she fell into a deep sleep "Dr Weaver, I'm glade you believe us about the whole Demon thing, And I just want you to know that you still have the option to walk out that door"  
  
Dr Weaver shook her head "Buffy I think that if you did not want my help then you would never have told me, I can be a useful part of the group, I can minimize your Hospital record from now on" Buffy smiled happy that Dr Weaver had made the decision by herself but a sliver of guilt was added to her already mounting pile "I take it our records are getting big huh" Dr Weaver Smiled took a piece of paper from her pocket "They almost have there own server, it's not to hard to find out your friends names if I was someone of the bad guy variety, knowing, Alexander La Vel Harris, Anya anya's second name?, Willow Rosenberg, Tara Mclay, Buffy Anne and Dawn Summers, names, Addresses, Dates of Birth, allergies and medical history would be very useful I would imagine and your all connected through contact details etc." Worry passed over Buffy's Face "I never thought of our medical records before, How easy would it be to access our files and connect us all?" Dr Weaver replace the paper in her pocket "Well anyone above porter can access any medical files, how easy it is to link you all, well it took me less than 5 minutes, I hope you don't mind me looking you up" Buffy shook her head "We where doing the same thing to you I understand, what would you suggest we do about our files?" "Well I could restrict them place your names under my care, then only I or someone higher up than me can access them also if anyone Accesses them or tries to I will find out, but I will need the permission of the person to do it" Buffy nodded "Well you have mine and Dawns I'm her official Guardian, I'm sure the others will Agree" "Agree to what?" Willow spoke as she entered the room, Buffy stood from her chair as Willow walked towards it and Willow sat in the seat Buffy offered then she once again sat on the arm "Dr Weaver wants to restrict access to our medical Files, but she needs all our permission to do it,I already gave her permission for me and Dawn" Willow looked to Dr Weaver "you have my permission, And I'm sure Tara and the others will too, Buffy's Decision count for us all" Dr Weaver nodded "Very Well once I get Tara's,Anya's and Alexander's permission I'll change your status" Willow giggled "Dr........ I'm sorry Kerry I would advise you to never call him Alexander, he prefers Xander" Dr Weaver smiled "Thank you I could have gotten off on the wrong foot" she glanced down at her ever present crutch "No pun intended" The two Girls returned the smile Buffy spoke "don't worry Dr Weaver we'll keep you on the right path, and maybe even Alive" Dr weaver laughed Quietly "I appreciate that" Dr Weaver then looked at her watch "Ooh Dear, I really need to go, I'm on at 6 Am" she quickly nodded down a number and address she handed the paper to Buffy "you can reach me here when I'm not at the hospital, and I always have my pager so the numbers at the bottom" Buffy looked at the piece of paper a smile spread across her face "is this where you live?" she handed the piece of paper to Willow who also Glanced and smiled "Yes, it's very nice, the previous owner did a lot of work to it apparently he was an Eccentric british man who used to own the magic shop in town............ and you know him right" Buffy nodded her head "Giles, he's my watcher he went Back to England, he's a great guy, you can meet him the next time he's in town" Dr Weaver looked confused "Watcher?" Buffy shook her head "It's a long story. You have a car right?" Dr weaver nodded "Well I need to go on a mini patrol so why don't I make sure you get home ok and I'll explain on the way, And I can give you the do's and don'ts of Vampires and Demons" Dr weaver shook her head in confusion "Patrol?" Buffy smiled "I'll explain that as well, Willow go to bed, I won't be long" Willow nodded and stood with a little more effort than she would normally show "the Usual?" was all she spoke Buffy nodded "the usual" when willow hugged Buffy said goodnight to Dr Weaver and made her way up the stairs Buffy watched with sadness and some guilt, Dr Weaver noticed "What happened to her wasn't you fault you know that right?" Buffy looked back unshed tears glistened in her eye's "No Kerry I don't know, and nothing anyone says will help me believe anything that happens to anyone of them, including you now, was not my fault, it's the slayers Way, the slayers World, Welcome" Dr weaver understood to a point she knew how she felt when she lost a patiant and she assumed it must be similar only a hundred times harder, maybe more so she changed the subject "'The usual'?" A smile spread across Buffy's Face and as the walked across the Floor "well when I come in at night I say 'Hi' to will and tara and Dawn if she's here they like to know I'm home and if Xander hasn't stayed over I give give his phone 2 rings to tell him I'm home and safe, they worry if I don't, oh We're having our Weekly Dinner tomorrow around 7 can you make it?" Dr Weaver looked thoughtful "I don't want to intrude" Buffy Waved away her concerns "Kerry if your going to be part of the Gang then you need to be part of all of it and weekly Dinners and midnight phone calls, and all night research sessions are what we're all about, Besides we have more to talk about next time we find out all about you" Dr Weaver nodded "Ok I'll be here, didn't you find out all about me in your search?, ooh and can I also get put onto 'the usual'?" Buffy nodded and trying to ignore the Question about Willows research, she wanted to bring Dr Weaver into the group more before confronting her with her own past so she answered the second Question "and how would you liked to be contacted" "A message on my pager would be best" "Do we use a code or something" buffy smiled "I think 'live and kicking' would be the best message for this, any trouble maybe ..........." "911?" Dr Weaver grinned "Sure '911' and the number I can reach you at" Buffy helped Dr Weaver on with her coat "See Dr Weaver we have our own code and everything you must be part of the Gang" the both left the house and trailing behind them happy laughter  
  
Willow lay in her bed listening to Buffy and Dr Weaver laugh as they got into the car a small smiled player on her face she was glade they had a new member and that the new member was a Doctor, it seemed it would make life easier plus Dr Weaver seemed funny and Genuinely nice, But as she drifted of to sleep her thoughts turned to Buffy and she worried that Having someone else to worry about and to care for and to feel guilty about would take it's toil on the slayer, but willows Rational mind told her that Buffy would benefit from the new member and that buffy was the strongest person she had ever known or hope to know, but Willow drifted of to an uneasy sleep where her rational mind had no control and Dreams showed a broken Buffy, and Willow Cried in her sleep, finally being comforted by the distant voice of her Friends telling her "Willow,everything is fine, I'm all right, willow it's only a dream Wake up" Willow woke up and Buffy was sitting by her on the bed Buffy looked towards Tara "Willow shhhhhhhh, everything's all right" Willow looked into her friends eye's making sure she was ok then the tears came again and she hugged Buffy with all her strength "Willow .... even with ...slayer strength....... your hurting me" Willow reluctantly let go and the spoke of her dream once Buffy assured her best friend she was ok and Willow drifted into another fit of sleep, Buffy went to bed and dreamed some nightmares of her own, only Slayer nightmares have a tendency to be a thousand times worse than normal nightmares and occasionally come true. 


End file.
